Ditching-machine.



C. W. R001).

DITCHING MACHINE.

PrP/wurm: FILED JUNs'ze. 190s.

Patented Jpne 29, 1909.

Invii i M C. W. ROOD.

DITCHING MACHINE. APPALIUATInN FILED JUNE 29, 190e.

Patented June 29, 1909.

4 SEETS-SHBBT 2.

i 272m??? ,Cf/'e arleomooal :5J da@ (UML.

G. W ROOD.

DITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED mm: 29. 190e.

Patented Julie 29, 1909.

Y 4SHEBTS-SHEET 3,

.0. W. BOD.

DITGHIN G MACHINE.

AePLwATIoN FILED JUNE 29, moa.

Patented June 29, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

emseon V VM.

UNiTiJD Siiiins PATE-mi CHARLES ii. RUUD, OF llltl'l'l, IOWA, ASSIGNOI?. T() l" 'li\'lliL C. BRIXLEY, UF BRITT,l IOWA.

DITCHIN G-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application i'ilcd June 29, 1908 Serial No. 440,896.

Patented June 29, 1909.

saine, ioforonoo boing had to t-lit atconipaf living drawings, which forni a part ot' this spccilication.

)iv invention relatos to cxcaviitin a i iiiv v D rains :ind inoro particularly to an apparati for forming dito ics.

In ordm to allord p-:ninanonuv to ditches having unsupported, walls it. is Y necessary tiiiit tho walls bo made to slope atv .in anglo i. cqniil to the anglo of 'reposool tho inatnria'l in which thel ditch is fornnd.

T he primary olijtct of thoprtsint iiivtirtion is to 'pi'ovidoasimple eind, oiicitnt machine loi` digging a ditchn'ith smooth A fin-thor object of tho pi'ostiit invention is to provide ii' iiiacliino of thov character sieciiiod ivhoi'ohtv th;A slopt ol' tht` iff-alix ol` tilic ditch may ho mir-ily and t-oi-voiiitntly viirivd to suittho. t-liarai'tvr ot' thv inatoriala `.vhich nre being"excavattd v A further objet-t. of tho prcfiont iiivtntion is' to provide a iiiait'hinjt` ol' tho character,

il of the Urano ivitlitht top o1' :in lipijipi'i li.

specified wherein thovvidt'h of ihoditt-h to bcl'oi'mcd nia'v." he t-,iisilv and i-oiivoiiiontly varicdwit-hi'n :my desired liniits.v

The. present. invention has` foi'n further object to provide n machineivliitli shall bc siniplc in construction and'oiiciont iii oporsition. A l

.T lic various features of novvlty "horvhy my inv-'ontioii is oliaracterized ill bo ,horoinuitcr pointed out with piirticiilarity in tlic.

(-lainis; hut fof :i full nndvrstaiidingol mj."

invtntionnnd of its various ohjocts iiiid-a.d vantages reference 'muy hc had tothefollowing detailed dost-ript ion taluni in conn0ction with ther :icconipanying drawings,l wherein Figure 1 isi anida elevation of ii'port'ion of a machine embodying :i 'pijoiuri'cd forni of my invention; Fig.' 2 is ii plain vim' ol" tlio art Shown int-he lnftihand portion of Fig. 1, thc scale of Fig.A 2 being, howgvci, larger than that. of. Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is :i View on an enlarged scale ol' the inner side' of tho outer end of the swinging crane, the excavating hntktthoni; shown in its tlcviitcd poition i just prvvions` to dumping; Fig'. is'nview ,Vsiinilarto 2% Fhmzi: i' (-ht xtfavating hnrlmt init# dumping punition; i"ig. is i; sot-tion iniziai on lin:- mi of Vig. 3; Fig. (i is l a section takon on lino timollg'. il; :ind I Fig. Tis aphin vit-n' of thv sanio pr-.ri shown l in l'J. t3. i i l iifthf drawings I have ilhiatratod a niachini` which is adiipttd to straddlo the ditch, it lining pi'ovidtd ith iollvis'rvsting upon the ground on opposite .sidts ot'. tht*4 ditch.

'tho typo oi supporting truck for thtl exea-Q vziting npiieral'n, lioivvvvr, innnatii'ial 5 liottoin ol' thi ditch oi' Aupon npporting' structures whit-li arfiintcnd-.wl to limit upon viator intht portion of tht` diii'h alrtadjv" ox cavatt-d. i z

'lcit-rring toiht` drawings. .X indiegitta thi'- (i is ii dipp'or oi'4 'hnvittt jini-h is :idaittd to triivcl from 'thv l'fottoin to thv bip ol' tlm ti'iicli l", taking ii tait from tht vl ot .-.iin to tht` to) oltholditch during stach nimeinont' .'l`lic track nn`i \"hv inadtof inn'ppnilnllfl channel iron'niQnihoi-s 1' liavingzithoie tlangcs tnintd toivaid viii-h othor and ,tht` hut-kot or dippml-niav hi pim-.hind 1with "hccls or rollors u ngliirh inn upon tilzf tif; ngi of the t-i'nolt invinhirs. 'l`inhinkt-t or dipptr hoistvd li \"-iiit:ivn Y ola hunting lupo ii attac-hud to tlnl front thtrvof, piisiir.; ovrr :i pulley i attht` outta-ond of thviil'iiin. thtfnvo passing ovvil :i pulloy'li upon tlidtaiiii-'liahlv find to u drinn I iiponthc supporting; pin:- fnrin. A second rope or cahlt, ,t-oiiiiciiid to supporting.: structure ol' tht` -riigggur :ind f1 indimito-:3 i'ollii's 'ii]n:ii;\\'liit-h tho supporting non l brake lever in )rcferably located upon the the rear end of the excavator', passes over nilley j at the lower end of the track mein- L er, thence over a. pulley?" on the turn-table, and has its t'rec en d connected to a. drinn li'. g adjacent to the drinn l. It will be seen that l by unclutching the drum K and driving 'the l drain I the excavatoi` will be' drawn upwardly; while upon driving the drum li and leaving the drum I idle the excavatorwill be drawn to the extreme lower limit of its movenient. Adjacent to the upper end of the swinging track is ashort section of track L pivotally connected at an intermediate point to the crane as at. The parts are so proortioned that when the bucket or dipper is rawn upwardly it runs upon this auxiliary track section and, when its center of gravity passes outwardly beyond the pivotal point l, the auxiliary track swings upon' its pivot as indicated in Fig. 4 and permits the contents of the bucket or dipper to be discharged.

The swinging track is normally locked in osition by means of-an elongated rack bar i I which is pivote-d at one end to the swinging track and engages with a pinion m revolubly supported upon the crane. Connected with tlus pinion is a brake disk m. A brake-band m2 surrounding this disk is controlled by a crane directly a ove' the. turn-table so as to be within reach of an operator upon a platform N arranged at one side of the crane as shown. It will be seen that when the brake is applied the swinging trac-k will be locked in any posit-ion which `may then be occupying., The turn-table 1s controlled 1n any suitable manner as,' for example, by means' of an endless e'able'o passing aronndthe turntable 'and over a drum O.

The operation of the digger is as follows., assuming the parts to be occupied in the position shown in I? ig. l, wherein the excavatoi is at the bottom of 'a dit'ch P: the lowering drum is released and the hoisting drum is set into operation. The excavator is first .Y

-drawn parallel with the bottom of the ditch, i

Acutting into the material from p to p. The front rollers ol" the excavator now leave the horizontal portion F of the track and enter upon the inclined portion l"l and, as tlie windingl of the hoisting cable proceeds, the cutting" edge of the excavator follows the 3 dotted line' through the material to be ex- 5 cavated andZ cuts away a layer ol' material p3. The loaded bucket isI then drawn upwars ly to the end oi' the track and the crane is swung laterally. Then the hoisting ol the'- excavator is continued until the excavator runs upon the auxiliary track sectioix'and dum's as has been previously dest-"beit The Loisting drum is then le ion and the loweiing drinn set in iperation. the brake being at the same time released. Since the excavator cannot rcturn to its lo Wer position while the hoisting rope is taut,

.the crane in its new position.

- purpose. v

widths may be excavated I irovide means H5 thc lower end of the swingirni track will be lilted. The winding of the lowering cable and the resulting lifting ol' the lower end of lowering rope are then released so as to perniit'tlie excavator to drop upon the bottom of the ditch, whereupon the brake is again. lapplied so as to lock the swmo'me' track 1n p ace. The operations just (iescoribed are again repeated and in i act are 'repeated until the excavator has traveled through aiientire semi-circle from one side of the ditch to the other so that a, layer of material has been cut from the entire. wall bounding the front end oi the ditch. After this has been accomplished the entire apparatus is moved forward a distance equal to the dept-h oi' the cut previously made and the cutting operations are resumed. lVhen it is desired to vary the angle at which the walls of the ditch will be formed, the outer end of the crane is raised or lowered as the case may be and the guy rope D is adjusted so as to hold The adjustment of the guy-rope may be accomplished in any suitable manner as, for example, by providing itwith a number of sepa-rated eyes d and securing the end of the guy-rope to the upright by means of a pin e" which 105 passes through one of the eyes and the top ol`- the upright. To alter the position o'l' the crane the in e' is withdrawn and at'tcr the crane has )een properly positioned, the pin is inserted through the most convenient eye H0 in the cable. This method of adjustment is noted simply as indicative of the various common methods which will answer for this Inorder that ditches ot' dill'erent for shifting the swinging trac c bodily so as to vary the point ot' its connection with thc crane. To this end I provide a pair of plates` Q, Qwhich are fastened to the inner sides ot' the two members C' oi' the crane by means 120 of bolts g which pass through elongated slots e', c', iii the crane members. The auxiliary track sccions L are pivoed to the plates l] and the hinge connu-tion l'ieweczi the swinging track and the crane is also l'orincd l25 through these piates. 1fach ofthe plates may conveniently be provided with la short lixed section oi' track l"" 'placed directly in rear ol' and forming coiiliuuations ol' the track nicniliers'L when these latter members 130 i ie winding of the' lowering cable.

. occupy their normal positions.: Each of the I the rear end ofdone oi' the track sections F3 tudinaily Within' the limits permitted by tA e.V 'pin and' slot connections afforded .by the obtained, the bolts'are again tightened so as k andat the oppositeendl'a 'clutch member .when it isdteimaa tif/a the width of iimh -'which the. machine .will excavate theA bolts q t ether i with the demping track, on the adjustable lates there is no dan er di) ingthe -re ationship between' t 'e swinging l -track'and' the duirping track when the ad- 2O adjusting operation may 'very quickly andconveniently.

arranged to coperatefyvith'the ciutch member 7c.

' clutc by means of aflever 7c" which is .ro-

. vided with a'fork k.` entering agroove 1 iii i5 similar to the actuating'lever of the other channel members f is preferably hinged to by means of anysuitableformzcf'hinve f4@ are loosenedand the plates Q are slid lon ielongated slots andthe bolts passing through them; and, when the proper adjustment is to .hold the track members securelyiin .position. It' will be Vseen that by placing the hinged connection for the swinging track,

'chang- 'and furtherm'ore the justmcnts "are .ma e;

be accomplished Any man@ an. and ontroiiig.

shafts i, 7c and o. Y These shafts'are indicated as being continuouslv- 'driven though a sprocket chain R which is Ainbturn driven by any suitable motor,I (not shown-.- Secured to one end of the drum K is a brake member 'k'. k is a stationarybrake member for cooperating vvith th'e brake memberk, and k* is a clutch .member fixed to the shaft I; -and vThe drum lisinoved'axially so as to.

b into operationreither. the brake or the the-druid( -The drum 'rotates freel within the' fork but when the lever is csc' ted in the plane parallel with the Avaxis of the drum the drum is caused to move axially in one direction orthe other. de nding 'upon the directin of oscillation oA the lever. The drum I 'is -shown Vas'having-'brake members fi', i, corresponding to the "brake members associated Withthe drum K;clu`tch members -'i,` if, corresponding' .with the clutch 'members 7c", and k; and with actuating lever In Iiig. 2 ofthe drawings both the hoisting and lowering drum are shown in neutra po-. sitions-so that in order-tolock either drum against motion itfinu'st beV moved laterally to bring the brake. members intoengagement, while to cause either drum to be operated it mustbemoved in. the opposite direction so astio t row vin the clutch. It is neces- .sary to drive the drumQ positively both directions and'. tothis end "in addition to Fig. 2 it is rotated in one' direction through by means of a sprocket -chain clutch 4rirnibers '0 2 and oi corresponding te the ciutcn k2 and 1:4 and the actuating lever .05 `correspondingto theactuating lever 755 Long have provided. .asecoiid .clutch i .dev-ice'A com'- l L prising aniembeiinl'carried uponthe-.oppo-I re" site end. of .thc:;drum.,.and azdriving'clu'tch f 12:: member o8 which rotates in the direction op- A posite to that o'f theshaft-o. lWhen the drum is shifted into the position shown 'ni the clutch members o7 and o8 and when shifted to the other limit of its axial movement itis rotated iii the opposite'diiection through the clutch members o2 and 0*'. The clutch member 08 may conveniently form a. bearing for -80 one end of the shaft 0 as shown and have at. tached thereto a sprocket Wheel o,9 which is continuously, driven in the pro er direction lg.' In order to hold the drum stationary an ordinary'foot brake 'as indicated at S may be employed;

' It Will now be seen that 1 have provided a digging machine Whereby'it is possible to ex# cavate ditches having any desired ividthand-v 9o' any desired slope of the side Walls, to` make the side walls perfectly even and smooth and' whereby the excavated material maybe deposited at any desired point along side of the ditch or into some sort of vehicle for carry-- ing the excavated material away. 'Atthe'o f same. time the A'machine is .comparatively hght and simple in construction andmay be 'operated 'with a. minimum. expenditure of vlabor ar'idpower.

While I have illustrated anddescribd'in invention and certain Well knoivn mechantion .I do not desire to be limited thereto since in its broad aspects my invention may take many other forms as will be "evident from the terms employed in the definitions my'invention constituting the appended claims. f Having n oW fully described my invention, WhatI claim as new and desire to secure y Letters Patent isz' .1. f.

1. 'In a'n excavating apparatus, an circa-v vating dipper, adownivardly inclined. track for guiding the di per, said track .having its lower end projecting laterally from 'the rcmainder of the track, an oscillating support for said track, means for mving said dip er along-said track, and lmeans for oscillating said support.. y vl A 2. -In an excavating apparatus, a swinging crane, atrack depending from. said crane,

said tracklhaving its lower end projecting lat.

.3. In an excavating`- apparatus; fatfcraiie 30' ico detail only'a preferred embodiment of my'f- .inclined track connected te. the crane and 'supported to swing about a vertical-axis, an

..0 n 1- vtending downwardly and inwardly toward and means or moving said ally from the remainder 'of track for dumping said dipper.

means for movingsaid dipper, and means for track having its'lowerl end rejecting latervadjacent to the upper end of said track for swinging said track about a vertical axis supported to swing about a vertical axis, an

extending downwardly and inwardly toward said axis, an excavating di per mounted. on said track so as t'o be gui ed thereby, and means for moving said dipper along said track. r A Y v 4. In an excavating apparat 11sa crane inchned track connected to the crane and exsaid axis, an excavating dipper mounted on said track so as to be guided thereby, means for moving said dipper along said track, and' means adjacent to the upper end of said track for dumping said dipper.

5. In an excavating apparatus, a track, means for su (porting s aid track in any one of a plurality o iferent inclincdpositions, said trackliaving its lower end rejecting laterallly' from the remainder of t e track, an excavating .dipper mounted non said' track,

6. In an excavating appariiliis, a track, means for su orting said track in any one of a plurality otpr iiicrent inclined positions, said track ha'ving its lower end projecting latert ie track, an excavating dipper mounted upon said track,

lswinging said track about a vertical axis passing adjacent tothe lower end thereof.

7. In an excavating apparatus, a track',

a plurality o lierent inclined positions, said ally from the remainder of t e track, an excavating dipper mounted upon said track, means Ior moving said dipper, and means dumping said dipper. Y

8. In an excavating apparatus, a track, means for sup orting said track in ani;r one of a plurality o different inclined positions, said track having its lower end rejecting laterally from the remainder of t c track, an excavating dipper mounted upon said track, means or moving 'said dipper, means for passing adjacent "to, thelower end thereof, and means adjacent to the upper end of said A 9. Inl an excavating a paratus, a platform,

revoluble about vertical and horizontal axes, means for Aholding said crane in any angular position with respect to said horizontal axis, a track depending from the outer end of said crane, an excavating dipper, mounted on said tra-ck, means for moving said dipper along said track, and means for swinging said cra-ne about said verti^al axis. l 1 0. t In an excavating apparatus, a platform, a crane mounted on saldplatform so as to .be revoluble about vertical and horizontal l means adjacent to the upper end of said track for dumping said dipper.

11. In an excavating apparatus, a latform, a 'crane mounted upon said plat orm j so as to be revoluble about a veruical axis, an inclined track hinged to and depending from the outer end of said crane, an excavating dipper mounted on said track, .means for moving said dip er along the track, means for raising and owering the lower end of said track, and-means for swinging said crane aboutsaid vertical axis.

12. In an excavating apparatus, a latferm, a crane mounted upon said plat erm so as to be-revoluble aboutA a vertical axis,

'an inclined track hinged to and depending from the outer end of said crane, an excavating dipper mounted on said track, means vfor moving said dipper alongthe track, means for raising andlowering the lower end er' said track', means for' swinging said crane about said vertical axis, and means adjacent to the upper end offsaid track for dumping said dlrrerf i3. In' an excavating apparatus, a crane, an inclined track depending from said crane, means for varying the point of connection between the upper end of'the track and the crane, an` excavating dipper mounted on said track, and means for moving said dipper along said track.

14. In an excavating apparatus, a crane, an inclined track depending from said crane a swinging track section carried by the crand adjacent te the u per end of said inclined track and arrange tobe overbalanced when the dipper occupies a. predetermined position thereon so as to dum the dipper, and means for movin r said ipper along said inclined track andinto said predetermined position on the said swing track section.

15. In an excavating apparatus, a crane, an 'inclined track depending from said crane, a swinging track section carried by the crane adjacent to the u per end of said inclined track and arrangef` to be ovcrbalanced when the dipper occupies a predetermined position thereon so as to dum the di iper, means for moving said dipper a ong saiil inclined track and into said predetermined pbsition on the saidswing track section, and' means for simultaneously adjusting the positions of the inclined tra-ck and said swinging track section relatively to said crane. 16. In an excavating apparatus, a crane arranged to swing about avcrtical axis, a track hlngcd to said crane and' projecting downwardly therefrom, said track having a laterally-extending portier 'at the. lower end, means for varying the inclination of said crane, means for varying the point of connection of said track upon the crane, an excavating dipper mounted on said track, a hoisting rope connected with said dipper and passing around the outer end ol' the crane, a second rope fastened to the said dipper and extending upwardly adjacent to the lower end ol' said crane, and means for winding and nnwinding said ropes.

17. In an excavating apparatus, a crane arranged to swing about a vertical axis, a track hinged to said crane and projecting downwardly therefrom, said trackhaving a laterally-extending portion at the lower' end, means for varying the inclination of said crane, means for varying the point of connection of said track upon the crane, an excavating dipper mounted on said track, a hoisting rope connect-ed with said dipper and passing around the outer end of thecrane, a second rope fastened to the s aid clipper and extending upwardly adjacent to the lower end ofsaid crane, niea'rs for Winding said li \isting rope or holding it taut, and means fo. winding said second rope.

1S. In an excavating apparatus, a crane arranged to swingr about a vertical axis, a track hinged' to said crane and projecting downwardly therefrom, said track having a latorally-extending portion at the lower end, means for varying the inclination of said crane, means for varying the point of connection of said track upon the crane, an exlocking said track to the crane at any de@ sired inclination orfor releasing it so as to permit it to drop by gravity or to be raised upon winding up said second rope. A

In testimony whereof, I sign this speedication in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. ROOD.

Witnesses:

C. W. ERWIN, H. HENDRICKSON. 

